It has been quite some time since my last blog entry, and I wish it was not this way but school has been so overwhelming that it is even hard to find time to relax for a few minutes. Now that the semester is almost three quarters finished, I have found some time! Don't get me wrong, I do love my studies and what I am learning, but the work load is a little heavy some times... but when the times get tough and I feel like I can't get through it I look to the Lord for guidance and ask him to give me strength to move forward and give that test, paper or project my best!
This morning in church, for those that go to Open Door you already heard this, the pastor preached about being familiar and having faith in Jesus. The differences and the why being "familiar" is dangerous in your walk. The sermon was tied to John 4: 14-30 and the verse that stood out to me was...
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" - John 4:18
This was Jesus talking to the people of Nazareth in the synagogue. This verse stuck out to me because in the middle of it, it says that Jesus was sent to heal the brokenhearted. However, Jesus did not do these things for the people in Nazareth because they are familiar with Jesus, they know who he is and they have become comfortable and they ask that what he has done in other countries, that he would do it in theirs also. Pastor Tom really focused on broken hearts and through him, God really spoke to my heart. Some quotes from pastor Tom that stuck out to me were:
- "Sin will take you farther, and keep you longer"
- "We need to be set free from selfishness
- "All of us are born near-sighted. We're more interested in the temporal than eternal"
- "we are spiritually and morally bankrupt with out Jesus"
He also mentioned that when you have been hurt or you have had a broken heart, you don't want to love anymore, you may very easily grow bitterness and can even forgive, but not forget. Sometimes I cannot understand why God has not healed my heart yet, or why I am still feeling hurt from time to time. Today it was made clear that Jesus is the ONLY one who can restore and heal my heart and make it ready to love again. I realized it is because I am not crying out to God and surrendering my all to him saying "God I am a sinner, and Jesus is my all-in-all. He is above no one or nothing else." I have not repented or laid all my burdens, pain, fears, in other words everything, on Jesus! I need to become free in Jesus and be able to not only be able to forgive, but to also be able to forget the things that have hurt me. Have you lately? Are you free in Jesus?
To continue with the title... After church today, I had a friend bring it to my attention that letting anyone or anything get inside you and affect your spiritual life not a good thing. It is allowing Satan to tear you down. This could be because you are not fearing God or walking in His light (1 John 1: 4, 5). This got me thinking because why should I let one or multiple people bring me down when I have God's strength on my side and I can ALWAYS lean on Him? Another reason to always be walking in God's light and never let your path go crooked (Proverbs 21:8). To continue with my day filled with "coincidences" at the 6pm service, Pastor Tom preached out of Proverbs 3: 5, 6. What better verses to preach on? They may seem "basic" because we all have them memorized but they are not emphasized nearly enough. Some quotes from tonight's sermon that stuck out were
- "We rationalize our actions when we are not doing the Will of God"
- "we are to act only in obedience to God - Love your enemies, Love your wife, submit to your husbands"
- It brings joy to walk in God's light and have fellowship with other people who are walking in God's light!"
- "a good marriage is based on TWO people walking with Jesus Christ"
- "The obstacles in a relationship are within your own pride. Only God can remove that pride!"
- "If you cannot love your brother who you see, how can you love God who you can't see?" (1 John 4:20)
- "Let others do what they want with you, but become vulnerable and TRUST in the Lord" (1 Samuel 24)
On the way home from church tonight, the FIRST song that came on was "Praise you in this storm" by Casting Crowns and at that point I had a big replay of the whole day. I asked myself "was that a coincidence? Or is God really trying to get my attention and tell me something?" My heart has never been so tugged so hard over the course of one day. Surely the LORD was speaking to me and has been trying to get my attention, well he has it!!! If there is anything that you take away from this it is that: 1) Jesus is the ONLY one who can fully heal a broken heart, 2) to TRUST in Him all the time, "do not be wise in your own eyes", 3) That God really does want the best for your life and He has a purpose for EVERYTHING He does (Romans 8) and 4) ANYTHING that is laid on your heart, that is a burden or is weighing you down, give it to Jesus!
